Continuing professional development: key themes in supporting the development of professional practice

Abstract

We would like to start with a statement about the importance of CPD. Julian Edge, in a lecture, once said that true teacher development is always a case of ‘becoming’. In other words, a good teacher is always engaged, interested, and collaborative. The process of trying to be a better teacher, to understand learners just a little bit better, to develop materials that work just a little bit more effectively never really stops. If it did, then you might become stale, you might become self-satisfied, you might become disinterested. When you are new to the profession, there is by definition a lot to know, a lot to learn, and a lot to understand. However, the ‘ing’ in becoming and continuing is as important for 60-year olds as it is for 21-year olds. In fact, we believe, from our experiences of ageing, that the older you get, the more important this becomes. This chapter is admittedly personal and reflective, but we hope it can offer a few important touchstones for discussion, engagement, and comment.